Skeletal expansion to treat deformities, such as maxillofacial deformities, is accomplished conventionally through multiple bone grafts. However, a new approach is distraction osteogenesis, a technique which employs the body's bone regeneration ability to fill a gap in the bone. The gap is gradually expanded with a mechanical distractor as new bone tissue is grown, thus reducing or eliminating the need for bone grafts.
However, existing distractors typically are manually operated devices that require daily adjustment by the patient or a healthcare professional. Such adjustments are typically done empirically or based on a predetermined schedule that may bear little relationship to a patient's actual tissue regenerating capabilities. Moreover, conventional distractors are linear devices that usually only permit bone expansion in a straight line while optimal bone reconstruction, especially facial bone reconstruction, may require non-linear, e.g., curved, expansion techniques.
Accordingly, there exists a need for better bone distraction methods and devices. Better control mechanisms, especially automated systems and devices that permit greater degrees of dimensional freedom would satisfy long-felt needs in the art.